[Mick O'Malley]

Last week, in the newly negotiable cave, I applied myself to taking out the B lump. Carbs and manifold off; exhaust manifold unbolted and tied out of the way; rocker box cover off and lifting lugs bolted on; starter motor off; bell housing supported with loop of furry rope and unbolted and, finally, engine mounting brackets unbolted. Hooray! Time to start cranking my Machine Mart crane, whose jib, even on its last extension hole, is never quite long enough. I think its designer only thought in terms of transverse FWD installations . Anyway, after lots of angle of engine dangle adjustments and raising and lowering of gearbox I was almost there, except for the thermostat housing snagging on the nose cone. Off with that (no thermostat fitted!) and with about a millimetre to spare at each end the lump swung free

I wheeled the now much lighter car back and positioned my trusty 20+ year old Machine Mart trolley under the mill and lowered away to loud splintering noises. Oops, I should have stored it in the dry! I found an old length of kitchen worktop, sawed it to size, screwed on the stepped sump support block and transferred the castors. No splintering this time. Ratchet strap, wheel to the back of the cave, stow folded crane alongside and push car back.



I'm so pleased to have actually done something positive towards the project, that I wandered down there in the rain a few times over the weekend for a smugathon. Happy days!

Regards, Mick